The damned

The damned

Story 4: against the great enemy

An Eldars life can be long and lonely when in the company of those who do not live long lives. But I am not in such company, well not entirely.

Mikhail, he has lived for over ten millennia although in his mind it has been but a couple hundred years since the great heresy.

Gil, I don’t exactly know what has happened to him but it would seem that since his encounter with the evil of the Black Legion he has changed, he heals from almost any wound and dreams of a world long gone, as if it is his guardian angel.

Kiara, well she has a daemon within her and is my ‘closest’ friend, someone I can confide in and show my fears, and my love.

I was the navigator of a small Eldar trading vessel, we rode the web way and plied our trade making our living for the good of the race, what there is left of us that is. That was until the Dark kin attacked us. They took us by surprise and killed half the crew taking the rest prisoner. I was one of the unlucky ones they took prisoner.

I was subjected to all manners of torture, including the tortures of the Great Enemy’s servants. I was no novice when it came to sex. My last mate died at the hands of these animals and I was forced to watch but, they taught me much and as the days went on I began to loose myself in their practises. I wanted to give in but a dream, almost a waking dream told me to hold on and not succumb.

Not the easiest thing in the worlds I’ve ever had to do.

I am not sure who it was that spoke to me but they kept insisting I hold on and that help will come and finding what little strength I had left I began to resist. I played along with them but when they took an Eldar battleship my eagerness to escape cost the lives of few brave Eldar warriors.

I had been set-up and like a young pup I didn’t see it until it was too late.

I had betrayed my people.

I managed to escape, or they let me escape I am not sure which, it doesn’t matter though, the shame still burns within me and probably always will.

The desire to avenge my people and cleanse me of this dishonour drove me to hunt each one that had caused me such pain.

How could I return to my Craftworld? How could I return to the bosom of my people knowing what I had done? The knowledge that I had let precious few warriors die at the hands of our dark kin was that which would stop me returning to my family.

I got work with rogue traders, it didn’t matter who I just worked my way across the galaxy hoping to find someone who would be brave enough take on she-who-cannot-be-named servants.

I found such a group on Tarsis X.

My last commander had refused to take me with him, saying my recklessness would cost lives he could ill afford to loose.

I met Kiara, Mikhail and Gil on the plains outside the main city Taris fighting with what the Mon-keighs call heretics. Art first seeing Mikhail in the armour of one of the warriors who serve the great enemy and her family I thought it was nothing more then darkness fighting darkness.

It was only as I watched more closely I heard each of them say their battle cry.

“For the Haunter!”

“By the Golden Throne”

“For the God-Emperor”

I remembered the tales told to us of how Farseer Ulthrad of the great Craftworld Ulthwe had met with a Primarch called Fulgrim in the hopes of averting what was now life for the Galaxy. But Fulgrim had already been possessed by the Great Enemy and it was too late.

Many Eldar died that day including Wraithlord Kieran and the Bloody Handed avatar himself – or so they all believed.

Even so, despite all that we have occasionally worked with these savages and whereas their warriors see us as nothing more then Xenos filth there are some who believe we have a right to exist.

So it did not take me long to conclude that the Space Marine wearing the armour of the Night Lords, the young man and woman were fighting for something better then what they had.

So I joined them.

All Eldar know how to fight and by the bloody handed god himself did I fight. I came in from the rear and by the time it was over there were only four left standing.

I didn’t trust at first, when you are betrayed once; you can feel like you will be betrayed again but that was soon to pass. I told the woman I wanted revenge against my dark kin and she must accept where they are so will I be.

Waiting.

She laughed at first and lit an Iho stick. She seemed to consider my words when she realised how serious I was.

“Since when did the Eldar involve us in their personal affairs?” Mikhail had asked with a tone that I learnt was what humans call Sarcasm.

“Since when have the Night Lords turned traitors again?” I retorted. Hi brothers were not unknown to me, I have seen the devastation they can wreck across a world. Not pretty I can tell you.

I couldn’t see behind his helm but I could almost sense a wry smile cross his face “Touché” He rumbled.

“What?”

“He means nice comment” Gil smirked.

Ultimately however, the decision was Kiara’s. she came towards me and I could feel the power emanating from her, the battle light in her eyes made her all the more beautiful and deadly with it.

I do not know to this day how she has managed it but they have the perfect symbiotic relationship and I know that daemons are notoriously hard to control. I could see her prowess in every move and step and it stirred something within me.

Something I thought long dead.

“What’s your name Eldar?” She asked.

“Sholin”
”Is that all?”
”That’s all you need to know”

“I take contracts to hunt heretics and traitors. You join us you do that and we’ll help you hunt your dark kin as and when work permits. Well do you agree?”

At first I wanted to disagree I was not going to be told what to do by a group of savages, but that voice, the one that had kept me from slipping into the arms of the Great Enemy and kept me sane during my imprisonment, that had given me much counsel told me to accept. Through these misfits of society I would find redemption and reclaim my lost honour.

So I agreed.

I did not expect them to become so much to but over time they have become my family and my fondness for them grew. I would give my life for them as they would me and although we have fought my dark kin I have not yet found my captors but I will. I have plenty of time for that.

For now though I am plotting a course to Aquaine, a water world that is a haven for those who want some R and R away from prying Imperium eyes. We could all use it and beside it is far enough away for Mikhail to relax.

If caught each and everyone of us would face execution although what they would do to him I can only imagine and that does not bear thinking about really. That is why all our communication with the Inquisition is done over Vox net and never face to face.

You can never be too sure these days what will happen. It will only be a matter of time before someone figures out what is going on but for now they leave us alone, our record speaks for itself.

Gil guides us out and I navigate.

My home is a soaped up trader vessel called ‘Andeas’ regardless of what happens now or in the future. Kiara could do with the rest and we could use some quality time together. Gil has many ladies in different ports and I am certain he will find one who suits his needs. Mikhail will do whatever it is that he will do.

We are damned but our work may help clean slates on our souls I hope so and if we are to die let it be for what we believe in.

The Primarch, a lost world, an Emperor or a Bloody Handed God.